1 Corinthians 5:1-5

In the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians, we heard Paul’s teaching on divisions in the church and specifically dividing over which Christian leader a person follows. The argument against this has been plainly laid out. The foolishness of choosing sides over godly leaders has been demonstrated. The explanation as to the differences between godly wisdom and worldly wisdom has been explained. Paul pointed out to the church that they have been acting as infants and as merely human. The reason why they must be taught the way that they were is that they have not grown up in their faith yet. Also, they are misguided as to the nature of Christian service. They need to learn what it means to follow Christ and Paul called the church to be imitators of him in the ways in Christ. The last verse in chapter 4, provides a bridge between what Paul has been teaching and the new issue that he is about to address: sexual immorality in the church. The teaching and instruction on this topic have proven to be timeless. Satan has used sexual sin in the church to destroy many lives and many churches. It was a problem amongst the nation of Israel and it is a problem in the church. The culture we live in is hard at work trying to destroy sexual morality by praising and elevating every expression of intimacy. Of course, we know that the trajectory they are on will only lead to an absurdity that all but the most calloused conscience will not be able to tolerate. Our culture is not doing anything new, it is just trying to repackage and rework the same old sins and the same old goal; to throw off the bonds of God. But, as we also know from history, this is self-defeating and usually ends in God destroying the wicked and strengthening the righteous. Today, we will look at 1 Corinthians 1-5 and next time we will finish the chapter. In verse one, Paul launches into his rebuke of the church for tolerating sexual immorality. In verse two, we see that along with the immorality the sister sin of pride has plagued the church. In 3-5, Paul succinctly provides his prescription for the disease that is in the church.